The Molecular-Kinetic Approach to Hydrolysis of Boron Hydrides for Hydrogen Production

Abstract

In this study, Langmuir–Hinshelwood and Michaelis–Menten kinetic models are applied to describe the kinetic behaviour of the Co–B catalyst in the hydrolysis of 0.12 M aqueous solutions of boron hydrides at temperatures from 22 to 60°C. Boron hydrides are selected as sodium borohydride (NaBH₄, 10 wt % NaOH) and ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃). Based on the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic approach, it is found that under the same reaction conditions the NaBH₄–Co–B catalyst interaction is more effective than that of the NH₃BH₃–Co–B. According to the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model, apparent activation energies (E_a) for the hydrolysis of NaBH₄ and NH₃BH₃ over Co–B catalysts are calculated to be 45.38 and 57.37 kJ/mol, respectively.